Retronomicom 08.12.09: Vagrant Story

Posted by Lee Price on 08.12.2009

This week the Retronomicon moves in the 32-Bit era and gives the PS1 some love with a look at one of the best Action-RPGs of the era, Vagrant Story.

Hello one and all welcome to another entry into the Retronomicon, the column that takes a complete scatter-shot look at the history of gaming and brings you the best that each era had to offer. I'm Lee Price and this week I figure that its about time that I show Sony, and particularly the PS1, some love. But before all that, I actually had a comment last week, after the lack thereof for the Jet Set Radio column. Perhaps you peeps just really hate graffiti, or have agree with the Ross Noble inflicted stigma that Rollerblading is the gayest thing a person can possibly do. Who knows but in regards to the Streets of Rage 3 column last week, kane decided to weigh in with his views and I figure its only polite to respond;

I agree that SOR 3 had good elements to it. I loved the special bar plus the stars to deliver the more powerful blitz attack. however, I thought SOR 2 was much better. SOR 3 lifted many of the enemies from SOR 2, plus the sounds and graphics from SOR 2 were arguably better. This game in many ways seemed like a watered down version of SOR 2. The bosses Abadede, Barbon, R Bear and Zamza were awesome from SOR 2. I thought the whole cyborg thing from SOR 3 came across as cheesy. Also, the tunes from SOR 2, especially the last level, the first level, and other levels were better in SOR 2. Max kicked ass. I don't know I guess we can disagree. like you however, I wish they did make a new SOR game, but it is old now, so I guess we can only wish. this series alone makes it worth getting the ultimate genesis collection for the 360 or ps3.

My good man, the only thing we disagree on is the order of quality these games are in. SoR2 is indeed a superb game, and is right up there with SoR3. The thing that tipped SoR3 over the top for me is pretty much what you mentioned, the expanded combat system. Personally I don't think that either game topped the soundtrack from SoR1 though, and as for recycling enemies, that's not so much of a big point for me for some reason, I think it can be hand waved as being the same city and thus having the same thugs. Plus for some reason I've always disliked playing the bigger wrestler characters in Beat-Em-Ups, be it Max or Haggar. That probably explains the Dr Zan love. Either way, I think we both agree that the entire series is awesome and does need some form of modern update. Thanks for the comment!

Now then we had best get to the newest entry, and Square's first contribution to the column. So strap on those rose-tinted specs again because this week the Retronomicon takes a look at Vagrant Story.



The Background

It was the year 2000 and astonishingly we hadn't all died, despite the fears surrounding Y2K. Most sane people responded to this by doing what they had always done and just carrying on life as normal, where Millennial groups started scrambling for reasons as to why we weren't all dead. Square were still buoyed by the recent success of Final Fantasy VIII and were on a bit of a role, having previously also released Final Fantasy Tactics to go along with the breakthrough release of Final Fantasy VII.

With this in mind, Square decided to take a break from the Final Fantasy series to release a new IP. With much of the development team from FF: Tactics returning, Square unleashed one of the greatest Action-RPGs of all time, Vagrant Story.



The Game

People were uncertain what to expect from Vagrant Story. There was none of the reliability of the Final Fantasy series, and some may have been worried that Square may have made a mistake by straying from their comfort zone and the success of their most popular IP to develop something completely new. These fears were put to bed upon the release of Vagrant Story however. The game had a superb plot to rival anything previously produced by Square, along with a complex combat system and difficult, and at times immensely frustrating, puzzles.

Set in the fictional city of Lea Mondé, in the Kingdom of Valendia, the game generally revolves around Ashley Riot, a member of the Valendia Knights of the Peace (VKP) and Sydney Losstarot, a dangerous cult leader who has kidnaps the son of a member of the Valendian Parliament, Duke Bardorba, in the game's opening sequence. After an initial confrontation, Ashley is framed for the murder of the Duke and must pursue Sydney through Lea Mondé in an attempt to prove his innocence and bring him to justice.

Sydney isn't the only danger to Ashley though, as he must also fend off the Crimson Blades, led by Romeo Guildenstern, who are also searching for Sydney without approval from the VKP. They believe that they are on a holy mission as Sydney is using to powers of the darkness to take advantage of a recent earthquake in the city and the corpses that this left behind.

Ashley himself is a Riskbreaker, the combat arm of the VKP, however as the game progresses Ashley becomes more questioning of the organization as he encounters Sydney and is shown visions of his past that raise questions as to exactly who he is and how he has come to be where he is.

The story is far more complex and interesting than I have made it sound with that attempted summary. It is in fact the highlight of the game, as portions of Ashley's past and his connection to Sydney and the VKP all gradually come to light during the course of the game. This is accomplished via the use of in-game cut-scenes, a complete departure from the FMV heavy Final Fantasy series. The game literally goes from cut-scene straight back into gameplay with no delays, and this leads to a much more fluid and unbroken feel as the story progresses.

The game itself is a dungeon crawler at heart, however the combat system is much more complex than the usual hack n' slash fare. In addition to the usual RPG fare, spells, armor, elemental properties etc. the game utilizes a targeting system in its battle mode, in what is essentially a turn based system as when battle mode is entered the game pauses and a wire frame of the enemy is shown. From here the player can choose what part of the enemy to attack. This in itself was a relatively new concept, especially for Square, however the combat was more complex than a targeting system suggests.

The game also implements something called a Risk Meter, which is essentially a gauge which determines how well Ashley will fight against an enemy. The longer an enemy is targeted, the larger the risk bar becomes and this in turn lowers Ashley's accuracy and defenses. Its not all bad news though, as a higher risk bar increases the chance of a critical hit so the bar should actually be taken literally as the it is up to the player to decided whether or not the chance of inflicting more damage on an enemy is worth the potential beating that could be inflicted. Gives you a better understanding of why Ashley is called a "Riskbreaker" huh?

In addition to the targeting and risk meter, the player was also tasked with performing Chain Attacks, this being absolutely vital if they intended to inflict any serious punishment on their enemies. The chain attacks relied on timed button presses, with the combo being broken with a poorly timed press. Mastery of this skill, along with the defensive equivalent, was vital in defeating the game's more punishing enemies but the player would have to balance this against the Risk Meter as the meter rises faster as the player chains attacks together.

It wasn't all battling baddies though, as Vagrant Story was determined to make the player think as well as fight. It did this through the use of block puzzles, wherein the player would need to solve a puzzle involving movable blocks to advance to the next area. As can be expected the puzzles get more complex the further into the game the player gets, with the final puzzle being a complete bitch to work out. Of course this lead to the danger of balancing challenge against frustration as player who had bought the game for the dungeon crawling element would not like to be held up too long pushing blocks around. The game was generally successful in this area, though there are times when the satisfaction of completing a puzzle doesn't quite match the irritation of having to face it in the first place.

This goes tenfold for the worst are of the game, Snowfly Forest. Almost universally loathed as the point where the game tips over the frustration threshold, this area of the game forced many a player to just quit, or at least run to the nearest guide. If I say that the area is the Vagrant Story equivalent of Ocarina of Time's Water Temple then you can probably get a good idea of what I mean. The maze is made even more frustrating by the inclusion of some very difficult enemies, not what you want when you're trying to find your way around, or more likely blindly stumbling through the screens in the vein hope of triggering the cut-scene that will get you out of this God forsaken forest.

Fortunately the entrancing story keeps you chugging through even the worst parts of the game, and this is aided by a stellar soundtrack. Composed by Hitoshi Sakimoto, who would later go on to create the soundtracks for Odin Sphere and Final Fantasy XII in a controversial replacement of the legendary Nobuo Uematsu, the soundtrack comprises of 57 tracks, released onto a double CD shortly after the game's release in Japan. The music fits the game perfectly and blends into the atmosphere perfectly, dank and depressing in the darker areas of the city and mockingly whimsical in the Snowfly Forest, the music fits every element of the game, and is another good addition to a quality line-up of soundtracks created during Square's PS1 era.

Graphically the game is at the very peak of what the PS1 could handle. Gone are the pre-rendered backgrounds of the Final Fantasy games, to be replaced by fully 3D environments. Unfortunately the PS1 is possibly one of the worst sufferers when it comes to outdated graphics, as any of its fully 3D games can't help but appear ridiculously blocky by today's, or even the last generation's standards. Of course this isn't to say that they are game breaking, or even bad. As stated they are amongst the best the PS1 could handle. It would just appear that 3D polygons age less favorably than 2D sprites and also goes to show the massive advancement made in graphics over the last 9 years.

The character models do stand out from their surroundings however. Each one is well-detailed and its obvious where the main graphical focus has gone in the game. This is perhaps the best choice to as the storyline requires the player to connect to the characters and it always helps when said characters are easy to identify from each other.

All things considered though, this shouldn't detract from and immense game, and for that matter at the time an immense graphical achievement. Vagrant Story is a game right out of the top drawer and any gamer worth their salt will be happy to pump out the "gameplay over graphics" cliche when it comes to a game of this quality. The story and combat system more than make up for the aging process so as long as you're not the sort that is entranced by shiny things you should be able to enjoy Vagrant Story for all of the quality it brings to the table.



The Aftermath

Despite the doubts, Vagrant Story was released to a rapturous response, especially in it's native Japan. The game went on to become the fifth highest selling game in the PS1's history, as welling as earning a coveted 40/40 mark from Famitsu magazine, only the third game at that point to receive the mark.

The game is amongst the best that Square have produced, and the company recognize this as they went on to include it in the Square Enix Ultimate Hits package that was released in Japan only. This only went to support Yasumi Matsuno's philosophy that it is better to work on completely original games rather than pump out sequels.

Of course this leaves the rest of us clamoring for a sequel that we will likely never see. There have been rumors flying around for years as to the possibility of Vagrant Story 2, however as of yet there have been no developments.

This isn't the end of the Vagrant Story erm... story though. The game takes place on the Ivalice world that Matsuno created, and players of Final Fantasy XII will have noticed that there are a number of references to "Riskbreakers" and "Leamondé". These may just be Easter Eggs, but the fact that Matsuno was lead developer for both games, and has also reportedly confirmed that both games take place in quite close proximity in his Ivalice world suggests that the connection may run deeper. Whether or not we will see this expanded on is uncertain however.

The Final Word

Vagrant Story is a must have for anybody who enjoys RPGs, dungeon crawling or just a damned good story. The game will hook you in from the start and will only spit you out when you hit the climax (and occasionally when you need to run off a check a guide to get through the Snowfly Forest). Be wary though that the game isn't for the faint of heart. The puzzles and the complex battle system combine to make for one of the most challenging experiences on the PS1, but it is well worth to effort to see the game to its conclusion.

The Price is Right

Okay then so now you need to get yourself some Vagrant Story. Well then the Retronomicon is here to lend a helping hand if you feel the sudden need to start a Riot (he he pun). As usual only pay in the upper price bounds if you're getting the game in good condition.

UK

PS1 - £15 – 35 (prices seem to be all over the place for this. Its possible to find a mint condition copy for £20 if you look hard enough).

US

PS1 - $20 – 60 (It would appear this is quite the collector's item over in the US, good luck finding a copy that doesn't set you back $50).

Spreading the Word

Another week, another entry into the Retronomicon. Hope the Sony fans are happy that I haven't forgotten them this week and be sure to check back next week for a healthy hit of old-school goodness. Be sure to check out some more of this gaming goodness.

Firstly, be sure to bookmark the site or make it your homepage.

Be sure to check out the 411 Games twitter right here;

http://www.twitter.com/411games

And here's some more good reading to take up your time;

Rod Oracheski hosts some alliterating goodness in Four Player Co-Op
He then looks at digital distribution in Achievement Unlocked
Jordan Williams lets us into his mind to find what would make his perfect shooter in Working Title
Adam Larck ups the anticipation for Marvel vs Capcom 2's impending PSN release by listing his top ten characters in The 10th hour
Sam Pow gives you some much needed tippage for GTAIV and Gears of War 2 in Game POW
Trace Aber checks in with a look at whats going on with Xbox LIVE in Living LIVE
And finally Tommy Coloma gives you the skinny on all the latest releases in The Release List

There's also the multi-staff efforts to check out;

This week the 411 Games Top 5 checks in with our top 5 downloadable games.
Drew Robbins hosts Fact or Fiction with Jordan Williams and Armando Rodriguez contributing.
And finally make sure to check out the August Games Roundtable hosted by Sean Garmer.

The Guy Who Can do it Better Than You

It was quite difficult to find an interesting clip for Vagrant Story, its not exactly a game for speed running or points scoring after all. So here's somebody achieving a 34 hit chain and gaining the "Knight of Brilliance" title.



Enjoy and see ya next week.